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In the past few weeks I frequently encounter questions that are being downvoted without a close vote. This is a valid course of action in some cases, but not in the cases I have encountered. When the correct choice is voting to close please do so, because this gives feedback to the poster, while downvoting gives none. One may even copy part of the voting to close dialog into a comment, as we are a small site and voting to close can take a day or two.

An example


I would prefer to end this discussion question above, but to give votes and answers meaning I will ask: is the course of action described above a good one, or do you have another take, perhaps an even better suggestion?


This is subjective, but the only case when I vote to close and downvote at the same time is in case of zero effort homework questions. My reasoning is that I am afraid some helpful zealot will answer before the question is closed, and I wish to signal with the downvote that the question is -in my opinion - not a good one.

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    $\begingroup$ +1 But worth noting that a close vote needs 500 rep while a downvote only needs 125. $\endgroup$ Feb 9, 2020 at 22:46
  • $\begingroup$ adding resident helpful zealot to my profile :P on a more serious note, us mods can't see who is voting on what, so i have no real comment i can really give on this issue in that regards $\endgroup$
    – Kitsune Cavalry Mod
    Feb 11, 2020 at 17:42
  • $\begingroup$ An issue for me is that's not clear what close reason to give to silly (and probably trolling) questions like "Why don't capitalists use demand side economics". I think downvoted questions with no upvoted answers get deleted by the system anyway... after a certain amount of time. $\endgroup$ Mar 12, 2020 at 14:13
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    $\begingroup$ @Fizz I agree with you on the particular question, but anonymous downvoting frequently happens on questions with articulable problems. $\endgroup$
    – Giskard
    Mar 12, 2020 at 16:48

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